To borrow a line from U2, Dream Theater’s 40th anniversary show featuring the return of original kitmaster Mike Portnoy was “A Sort of Homecoming.” In numerous interviews, both Mike and John Petrucci have referred to their relationship as one of family, and this show was a highly anticipated “high-altitude family reunion” packed with stunning visuals and a sonic celebration.
Though not a sell-out, the Mission Ballroom was sufficiently stuffed with faithful fans of a range of ages who came to witness a bit of history. The set list — strategically selected by Mike Portnoy — intentionally spanned a broad range of material produced by the band over their four decades of musical exploration, including a pair of tracks from the productive years he was away from the band.
The show opened with the house lights dimming and the iconic introductory soundscape of “Metropolis Pt. 1: The Miracle and the Sleeper” filling the air. As the curtain veiling the band on stage fell, the crowd “responded with a roar” and the lineup known for its affinity for Rush, tore out of the gates like a gleaming “Red Barchetta”. “Wind in my hair, shifting and drifting, mechanical music, adrenaline surge,” indeed.
The three-act performance was staged for success by a brilliantly diverse range of songs that showcased the different lands travelled in the band’s 40 years of making music together. In fact, some of the highlights shone even brighter because of their juxtaposition. For example, the lighter shaded “Hollow Years” fell between the melodic bookends of “Under a Glass Moon” and “Barstool Warrior,” sandwiched between the dark heavy walls of “The Mirror” and “The Dark Eternal Night”. This diversity made for a rewarding listen and a strong opening set.
By the time Act 1 drew to a close, the band had established an undeniable truth. Mike was back and feeling right at home, perched behind what appears to be the biggest behemoth of a drum set he’s ever taken on the road. Though the kit was huge, Mike’s ego as a performer appears to have shrunk. Perhaps this was an intentional demonstration of respect for the dynamics of the band that had carried on without him. He seemed intentionally maintaining a more gracious, less attention-seeking stage demeanor. But that’s not to say his playing was reserved, as it most certainly wasn’t. Portnoy put on display his trademark sound and style and propelled the band forward as if he’d never missed a beat in the 13 years he was away. While Mike Mangini did an amazing job of stepping into some mighty big shoes to keep the Dream Theater train rolling, it’s impossible not to acknowledge that Portnoy and Petrucci are the New York Wonder Twins of Prog-Metal that belong in this band together.
It’s worth noting that this was to my experience the best stage production offered to date by the band. Between the lasers, strobes and video projections, there was a lot of eye candy to match the musical offering from the stage. One of the best production moments came in the introduction of the second act, where an orchestral interpretation of songs from every Dream Theater record chronologically unfolded, accompanied by augmented art from all the album covers. It was not only an artistic touch, but a telling one. The crowd responded by cheering to express their appreciation (or disdain) for certain records.
A few groans and boos could be heard when the artwork of the polarizing The Astonishing appeared. But also worthy of note was the strong positive reaction to the final artwork to appear from the newly released Parasomnia. The band proceeded to play two songs from that new record, and the crowd reaction to both songs was very enthusiastic. It seems Dream Theater has managed to defy the trend many bands suffer from of sending masses to the bathrooms when new music is played. That has to be a gratifying experience to receive such fervent support for the new music that likely comes closer to the tail end of their career.
The music was delivered tightly and well rehearsed. John Myung was given a place in the live mix that eclipses what we hear on record. His contributions were easier to appreciate with the added volume and clarity to his sound. Both John’s fingers were flying the entire night.
Jordan Rudess showcased a few new production elements, including a video screen wrap of his keyboard platform, which was particularly noticeable when video piano keys illuminated in sync with his playing, or flames appeared in a combustible section. All nice touches and good symbolic manifestations of Jordan’s constant interest in adding new things to his arsenal. His doubling runs with Petrucci were solid and in sync, and his tilting keyboard and mobile “keytar” setup added some energy to what’s often a static instrument to present.
And speaking of something new, I actually heard a few of John Petrucci’s background vocals in the live mix for the first time! Petrucci was, well. Petrucci. He is in a class by himself in his capacity to shred at mind blowing paces, such as on “Night Terror”, while also being able to soar in heart-warming ones like “The Spirit Carries On.” Indeed, his playing on tonight’s performance of “Hollow Years” was possibly the top performance of the evening, inducing chills and goosebumps. While I’m a big Mike Portnoy fan, I still enjoyed the music John and Jordan created in his absence. Dream Theater respectfully survived the absence of Mike Portnoy. They could not weather a change in the guitar department. No one can take Zeus’ throne.
The lack of oxygen in Denver’s altitude has always been a challenge for performers. If memory serves, Mike famously collapsed after a show here years ago and had to be rushed to the hospital. James LaBrie made quick mention of it and said he was going to try to “move around anyway.” There were some moments where LaBrie shone, and some where he struggled. This was to be expected because the vocal lines James sang in his early 20s on “Images and Words” are the equivalent of musical gymnastics. Nobody expects Nadia Comaneci to do the same moves on the parallel bars at 63 that she did at 14. And nobody should expect LaBrie to hit the stratosphere like he used to.
In capturing what was possible in the moment back in 1992, the band painted themselves in a corner with an unsustainably difficult collection of songs to sing night after night. Steve Perry knows all about a punishing catalog. And so does James, who by the way sounds absolutely fantastic on Parasomnia. Unlike a guitar that can be tuned with a twist of a knob, the human voice is subject to a huge range of variables, including sickness, nerve damage, exhaustion, altitude, overuse and age. Some of James’ best moments came on the softer strains of “This is the Life” and “Vacant,” where he displayed sensitivity and breathy control. He also landed the diverse dynamics of “Octavarium” well — a brilliant choice to end act two, not only for its epic diversity, but also its scarcity of recent live performances before this reunion tour.
The band’s encore included “Home” and “The Spirit Carries On,” which had a myriad of cell phones out in masses waving back and forth, and eyes getting a little glassy when Petrucci launched into the solo. The show ended with the obligatory “Pull Me Under,” the closest thing the band has had to a radio hit.
Seeing the gang all back together was satisfying, both in terms of the music presented, as well as the good vibes of a happy ending on the personal level. Many bands call themselves family, but fail to act like one offstage. Dream Theater seems to have threaded the needle and pulled off a genuine reunion they claim to be enjoying as much as their fan base.
If I were to voice my wish list, I would want to see them show their joy a little more from the stage. Except for LaBrie, the guys stayed very planted to one place on stage and had very little interaction with each other. Why so serious, gents? This is my petition for more smiles, God knows we need ‘em, and we need to see ‘em. The lighting effects were remarkable, but I would have liked to have seen a brighter spot on the player soloing at times. Maybe a video feed projecting a close up look at the fingers of Jordan and the Johns on the crazy widdly bits, and of Mike pounding away behind the kit. There were a couple very brief moments where the audio cut out that were jarring. These quibbles aside, it was a solid showing that surpassed about half of the previous 10 times I’ve seen the band live.
No doubt, the music of Dream Theater requires a lot of concentration. I can’t tell if it’s that fun for them to play. Surely it must be, if this act is still going strong 40 years into its career. It’s certainly fun to hear. Judging from the looks of wonder and smiles of joy on the faces of the mostly male audience exiting the venue, there’s little doubt the audience truly enjoyed this sonic family reunion.
At a time when our nation is marked by division, it was nice to see a display of reconciliation and brotherhood take center stage. Welcome back, Mike Portnoy. There’s no place like home. And no catalog quite like Dream Theater’s. I’m grateful they celebrated it in Denver.
Dream Theater Photo Gallery
